Graham Moore is the best-selling author of The Sherlockian and the screenwriter of The Imitation Game. His new book The Last Days of Night is out now. He is talking about some of his favorite books.
Murder in Three Acts
BY AGATHA CHRISTIE
My mother is a crime fiction（侦探小说）lover and, when I was having trouble learning to read, we'd sit in my bed at home in Chicago and take it in turns to read a paragraph. It was the first book I read cover-to-cover and I later became a writer because of that experience. Not only did it give me a love of crime fiction but, more importantly, it taught me that reading can be a shared experience.
Cryptonomicon
BY NEAL STEPHENSON
This book showed me that historical fiction need not be dry, but can be lively and enjoyable. Stephenson asks readers to take science seriously, but writes the story in a funny way. I'd long known of Alan Turing, but Stephenson's technique（手法）of describing him was surprising; I saw how a writer can bring a real person to life for modern readers.
A Visit from the Goon Squad
BY JENNIFER EGAN
Egan uses a technique that I drew on when writing The Imitation Game. She tells stories from different voices and times, and uses many styles that say to readers, "I've done a lot of work, but now you have to join in and work it out for yourselves. "
With my latest book, my greatest hope is that readers will want to get other people discussing the book. I've just started the conversation.
1. What helped Moore to be a writer?| A．Reading crime fiction in secret. | B．Having trouble learning to read. |
| C．Writing stories at a young age. | D．Reading a book with his mother. |
| A．Moore's Friend. | B．A writer. |
| C．A historical character. | D．Moore's teacher. |
| A．To discuss some books. | B．To introduce readers some books. |
| C．To tell writer's stories. | D．To discuss the book with others. |
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【推荐1】There is nothing like travel when it comes to gaining perspectives and exposing yourself to other cultures. Here is a list of books that transport readers to another time and place.
ITALY: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
This book is written by the popular author Jess Walter. It is a love story that begins on the Italian Coast in the early 60s and eventually appears on the screen in Hollywood. As the settings shift from Italy to Edinburgh to Los Angeles, you will find yourself longing to go as well.
SEATTLE: Where’d You Go, Bernadette by Maria Semple
Maria Semple’s first novel is not exactly a love story to Seattle, but if you read it, you just might want to come here to see if people are really as self-involved as the characters in her book. What really shines through is the strange storytelling and the laugh.
ENGLAND: Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
You can’t travel to Thomas Cromwell’s England without a time machine, but reading Mantel’s prize-winning novel is the next best thing. It will make you long to see the ancient buildings and green grass of the English countryside, much of which is still there.
NANTUCKER: Here’s to Us Elin Hildebrand
Elin Hilderbrand has built a writing career about her hometown island of Nantucker. Her latest is Here’s to Us, which, perhaps not surprisingly, is a great beach read that will spice up your vacation. You won’t be able to put the page down and desire to get there.
1. Which book has been adapted for a film?| A．Here’s to Us. | B．Wolf Hall. |
| C．Beautiful Ruins. | D．Where’d You Go, Bernadette. |
| A．Its low price. | B．Its interesting characters. |
| C．Its content about love. | D．Its way of telling stories. |
| A．Go to Seattle | B．Learn to love. |
| C．Appreciate the English countryside | D．Enjoy a beach read. |
| A．They are all about love stories. |
| B．They inspire you to travel. |
| C．They show the joy and sadness |
| D．They help you to be self-involved. |
| A．tourism brochure | B．newspaper report |
| C．book review | D．fashion magazine |
【推荐2】Writing a news article is different from writing other articles or informative pieces.
Gather all your facts. Before you write a news article, make a list or an outline of all the connected facts and information that need to be included in the article. This list will help prevent you from leaving out any relevant information about the topic or story.
Create an article outline. Your outline, and subsequently your article, should be structured like an inverted pyramid.
Find an angle.
| A．Know your audience. |
| B．Include all the important details. |
| C．It will also help you write a clean, brief article. |
| D．Why is this article unique to you? What is your voice? |
| E．Unlike other articles, it presents information in a specific way. |
| F．Be as specific as possible when writing down all of these facts. |
| G．It allows you to build your story so that the most important information is at the top. |
At American restaurants and coffee shops you are usually served tap water before you order. You may find the bread and butter is free, and if you order coffee, you may get a free refill.
Most cities and towns have no rules about opening and closing time for stores or restaurants, though they usually do make rules for bars. Especially in large cities, stores may be open 24 hours a day.
Serving in restaurants is often large, too large for many people. If you can’t finish your meal but would like to enjoy the food later, ask your waitress or waiter for a “doggie bag”. It may have a picture of a dog on it, but everybody knows you’re taking the food for yourself.
Supper and dinner are both words for the evening meal. Some people have “Sunday dinner”. This is an especially big noon meal.
Tips are not usually added to the check. They are not included in the price of the meal, either. A tip of about 15% is expected and you should leave it on the table when you leave. In some restaurants, a check is brought on a plate and you put your money there. Then the waiter or waitress brings you your change.
1. Which statement is true?
| A．American people like sitting with people they don’t know. |
| B．A hostess always seats a small group at a large table. |
| C．American people never sit with people they don’t know. |
| D．American people will not light a cigarette if the people who sit at the same table mind their smoking. |
| A．Bread. | B．Butter. | C．Coffee. | D．Cold water. |
| A．They take the food home with a “doggie bag” for their dogs. |
| B．They leave the food on the table and go away. |
| C．They take the food home with a “doggie bag” and enjoy the food later. |
| D．They ask the waitress or waiter to keep the food for them. |
| A．Customers often add tips to their check. |
| B．The price of the meal usually includes the tip. |
| C．People are not expected to pay tips in addition. |
| D．Tips are supposed to be left on the table when customers leave |
【推荐1】In this special year, a large number of galleries and museums were forced to close. With the contagion (接触传染) being brought under control, more and more galleries and museums are reopening. Here are 4 major art exhibitions that were held offline around China and drew huge public attention.
Celebrating Forbidden City's 600 birthday
The Palace Museum (September 10-November 15)
The exhibition, Everlasting Splendor: Six Centuries at the Forbidden City marked the 600h anniversary of the completion of the construction of the compound, China's imperial palace, from 1420 to 1911.
Over 400 cultural relics were displayed at the exhibition, reflecting the history of the Forbidden City's construction, the development of its layout, and how it has been protected and renovated in the past decades.
Exhibit highlights eight great masters of Tang and Song dynasties
Liaoning Provincial Museum (December 2-March 2)
This was China's first exhibition collectively introducing the "eight great masters" of the Tang (618-907) and Song (960-1279) dynasties. In China, "the eight great masters" is a household cultural term referring to Liu Zongyuan and Han Yu from the Tang Dynasty, plus Ouyang Xiu, Su Xun and his two sons Su Shi and Su Zhe, along with Wang Anshi and Zeng Gong, all from the Song Dynasty. The term hails their unparalleled status in Chinese arts and literature.
A total of 115 exhibits-mainly paintings, calligraphy, ancient books, stone rubbing pieces and ceramics-were displayed to recall the glorious era of outstanding literati (文人).
Ancient instruments resound through centuries
The National Museum of China (August 8-January 29)
An ongoing exhibition, The Sound of Harmony, traces the development of Chinese musicology (音乐学), folk art and culture. Over 200 items are on display, mostly musical instruments. It is widely believed these artifacts represent rich cultural information about the evolution of rituals (礼节) and ceremonies according to social hierarchies (等级制度), arts and crafts developed by ethnic groups and collective beliefs about the universe and humanity that continue to unite Chinese thinking.
The exhibition also examines music's roles in state activities, public education and exchanges between ancient China and other civilizations.
Contemporary art show looks for 'a stitch (一针) in time'
Today Art Museum (January 13-June 25)
Today's Documents, a major exhibition of international contemporary art, initiated in 2007 and held every three years by Beijing's Today Art Museum, has committed to presenting the experimental advances of Chinese art and also the evolution of global works.
This year, the fourth Today's Documents exhibition teams up 37 artists from across the world whose works deal with topics such as the global imbalance of economic development, refugee crisis, terrorism, cyber attacks and environmental worsening which are threatening human society.
Click here to learn more.
1. Which of the art exhibitions is available in April?| A．Celebrating Forbidden City's 600h birthday. |
| B．Exhibit highlights eight great masters of Tang and Song dynasties. |
| C．Ancient instruments resound through centuries. |
| D．Contemporary art show looks for 'a stitch in time'. |
| A．Today Art Museum. | B．The National Museum of China. |
| C．Liaoning Provincial Museum. | D．The Palace Museum. |
| A．Musical instruments originating from other civilizations. |
| B．Common values developed by ethnic communities. |
| C．A close look at music's effect on social life. |
| D．The development of contemporary Chinese music. |
【推荐2】Europe is one of the best travelling options for everyone. It’s rich in culture, and every country is distinct in beauty. Plus, the cuisine is not to be missed. Here are the best four European cities to travel to!
Vienna
The capital of Austria, Vienna, is the largest city in the country, and it’s also a cultural, economic and political center. It is known as the city of music and the city of dreams, being an important place for Beethoven and Sigmund Freud. It’s also considered one of the cities in the world which is suitable for living and where the quality of life is high.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital of Germany and is the place of culture, politics, media and science. It holds a strong history, and you can learn many things about the city’s contributions to the whole world. Travelling to Berlin is quite easy, given that it’s an accessible city and you have plenty of affordable options such as trains, trams, buses and the metro.
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital city of Denmark and is known to be one of the most sustainable cities in the world. It’s full of Michelin-starred restaurants, has plenty of museums and holds the Copenhagen Fashion Week, which is the largest fashion event in Northern Europe.
Amsterdam
The capital of the Netherlands, Amsterdam, is known for the number of canals that are part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. These are also the main attraction of the city, but that’s not all. The good thing about Amsterdam is that you can visit it by bike, as it has one of the best networks of cycle routes in the world.
1. Which is not a reason for traveling to Europe?| A．Yummy food. | B．Natural scenery. | C．Adequate culture. | D．Good transportation. |
| A．Vienna. | B．Berlin. | C．Copenhagen. | D．Amsterdam. |
| A．Vienna wins a reputation for being livable. |
| B．Berlin is less influential compared to others. |
| C．Copenhagen is modern but not eco-friendly. |
| D．Transportation can be an issue in Amsterdam. |
【推荐3】Many travelers often ignore small places in Europe, but there are some hidden ones that offer impressive architecture and natural scenery. Here are four places in Europe that are worth a visit.
Eguisheim, FranceIf you want to see a perfect French village, go to Eguisheim. It has beautiful half-timbered (露明木架的) houses, stone streets and churches in the Middle Ages. You can also visit a lovely Christmas market in December. Be sure to check out the Chapelle Saint-Léon IX. which has painted ceilings and colorful windows with scenes from Alsace.
Lauterbrunnen, SwitzerlandLauterbrunnen is a beautiful town with wooden houses and small village churches. But its towering rocks, high mountains, and some of the tallest waterfalls really stand out in Europe. And please don’t forget this fun fact that J. R. R. Tolkien was ever inspired by Lauterbrunnen when he was writing about the Rivendell valley in The Lord of the Rings.
Český Krumlov, Czech RepublicIf you dislike the crowds, enter Český Krumlov, an incredibly pretty town. This charming town in the South Bohemia region has red-roofed houses, attractive fountains in the squares, and a well-known castle where you can have a view of the Vltava River. And you can explore the town in less than half-an-hour walk.
Guimarāes, PortugalAfonso Henriques, the country’s first king, was born in Guimarāes. The city center is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has great examples of Portuguese architecture with beautiful tiles (瓷砖) from 600 years ago. Even though Guimarāes is a bit bigger than the other places on this list, it still has a charming feel with small shops and open areas.
1. What is Eguisheim special about?| A．Tiled buildings. | B．High mountains, |
| C．Half-timbered houses. | D．Red-roofed churches. |
| A．An artist. | B．An architect. |
| C．A businessman.. | D．A writer. |
| A．Eguisheim. | B．Lauterbrunnen. |
| C．Český Krumlov. | D．Guimarāes. |
